Seated Overhead Reach

I do not have a case of the Monday’s. Instead, I’m pretty excited for what is going to be a good week. I hope you’re as equally optimistic, and are looking forward to upcoming holiday vacations, or the quiet time after the collegiate Finals cramming period.

It seems that most of us get tied down to our desks a lot at this time of the year, between doing work, studying, or writing letters to Santa, and I’d like to help you prevent some of the aches and pains that can come about from being stuck in this position for too long:

After just a few hours of sitting still, I start to feel like Quasimodo, but I have a solution for you desk-bound folks out there. It’s called the Seated Overhead Reach. I’ve used it as a thoracic mobility drill for athletes with knee issues, as a replacement for a squat-to-stand, but I like recommending it to everyone becauseit’s possible to do it almost anywhere. It’s a great addition to a a dynamic warm-up, can be used if you’re stuck at a desk for too long, or if you want to casually join the guy who is singing and dancing on the subway. Just don’t use it while hiding; It might give away your position. Okay, here’s the video:

Wherever you’re sitting down, make sure to sit up nice and tall. I like to set my feet in a comfortable position to squat from, but that isn’t entirely necessary. Reach your head towards the ceiling, then slowly bring one arm overhead. As you begin to encounter resistance, take a deep breath into your belly, pause, then lower that arm and repeat on the other side.

Whether you include this in a dynamic warm-up, use it wake yourself up after a boring meeting, or use it as a filler in-between sets of Front Squats, this is a great addition to include throughout your daily routine. Let me know how you apply it, how it feels, and if you get any weird looks pretending to be a windmill in public.

It’s always eye opening when someone realizes that they’re not moving from their T-spine, and rely on lumbar extension for everything. I hope this gives people a little maneuver that can go a long way. Thanks!